“We must not and we will not stop fighting for gender equality, to keep women and girls safe, and to empower them to fully realise their potential. The European Union is committed, as it was 60 years ago, to ensuring equality for women around the world,” said a joint statement issued by the EU on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2017 (8 March).

The statement stressed that despite significant progress with regards to women’s rights, “much more must be done both inside and outside of Europe.”

The EU is committed to stand by women around the globe, it will continue to take action both internally and in its external relations. In particular:

• Through the 2016-2020 EU Gender Action Plan, the EU will particularly focus on assisting women and girls across the world who are excluded from education, from equal access to health and family planning services, the labour market, as well as political life while facing discriminatory rules and laws on inheritance, citizenship or land-ownership.
• The EU will continue monitoring the gender dimension of preventing and combating trafficking in human beings in the implementation of its anti-trafficking policy and legislation
• To ensure that assistance reaches the most vulnerable around the world, the EU will continue to systematically apply gender-sensitive approach to humanitarian aid.
• The EU will continue to lead the way on implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including on Gender Equality.

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Joint statement

EU Neighbours – Gender issues